Spoke remover and tightener.



F. H. BILLHARTZ.

SPOKE REMOVER AND. TIGHTENEB.

APPLlCATlON FILED SEPT. 22, 1917.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

FREDERICK BILLI-LARTZ, or NEW VIBAYDEN, ILLINOISL,

src'Kn REMOVER Ann rren'rnivnnl Specification of Letters Patent.

' Patented a; 8,1918.

i Application filed September 22, 1917. Serial No. 192,767.

To all whom it may concern":

Be it known that I, Fnnnnniox BILL- I-IARTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Baden, in the countyofClinton, State of Illinois,ha-ve invented a new and useful Spoke Remover'and Tightener; and

' 8".- The sleeve 4 is arranged in the rim, and

I do hereby declare the following tobe'a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which'it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to an improved spoke remover and tightener for the wire spokes of the various types of pneumatic vehicle wheels.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an improved, eflicient and practical device of this kind, consisting of very few parts, which is therefore simple and durable in construction.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this kind comprising a sleeve or tubular socket open at both ends and having flanges at its ends and embedded in the rim of the wheel, in combination with an adjustable sleeve threaded to the interior of the first sleeve and provided with interior thread connections with the outer end of the spoke, whereby upon adjustment of the second sleeve in either direction, and consequently severing the thread ed connections with the spoke, the spoke may be easily and readily removed.

In practical fields the details of construction may necessitate alterations falling within thescope of what is claimed.

The invention comprises further features and combination of parts as hereinafter set forth shown in the drawings and claimed.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a cross sectional view of a wheel rim and a tire and a portion of a hub,

showing the improved spoke remover applied.

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view through a wheel rim, a tire thereon, and the spoke remover applied, showing the sleeve of the rim in section.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view through the rim and the tire thereon, and the spoke remover and tightener applied, showing both sleeves in section, and the spoke in elevation.

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of the spoke and the two sleeves of the remover and tightener.

Referring more especially to the draw ingsl designates a wheel rim, which is provided with the'usual channel2 for the reception of a conventional pneumatic tire 3,

andi denotesa tubularsleeveopen at/both ends, as shown at 5 and 6. Both ends of the sleeve 4: have annular exterior flanges 7' and by means of the flanges 7 and 8, axial movement of the sleeve-is prevented. The interior of the sleeve 4: is threaded as shown at 9, and engaging the threads 9 are the exterior threads of the sleeve 10. One'end of the sleeve 10 is provided with an extension 11, the exterior of which is designed to be rectangular or hexagon shape in cross section, in order to be engaged by a suitable wrench (not shown), may be turned in one The interior of the sleeve 10 is also direction or the other. threaded,

so that the sleeve 10 I to be engaged by the exterior threads 12 of terminates in a right angle extending part 14 to enter the opening or aperture 15 of the flange 16 of a part of a wheel hub. The end of the right angle part 1 1 has a head 17' to prevent movement of the part 14 in one direction, while the body of the spoke engagingthe flange 16 prevents movement of the part 1 1 in the opposite direction. The outer end of the sleeve 10 has an extension 18, the exterior of which is rectangular or hexagon shape in cross section, to be engaged by a wrench (not shown). It is to be observed that by applying a wrench to the extension 11, turning the sleeve 10 in one direction, in fact turning it so as to feed it toward the inner end of the spoke, until the sleeve is entirely disconnected from the sleeve 4:, and being that the outer end of the spoke does not quite reach the inner end of the sleeve l, the. spoke may be easily removed. For instance after disconnecting the sleeve 10 from the sleeve 4;, and then turning the sleeve 10 off the spoke 13, said spoke may be manipulated, whereby its body may pass through the opening 15 of the flange 16, until it is entirely disconnected from the hub. However, if desired the sleeve 10 may be rotated whereby it may move outwardly on the spoke 13 to act as means for tightening the spoke. By using a wrench that will enter the outer end of the sleeve 4 sufiiciently to engage the extension 18, that is when the tire 3 is removed, the

on the spoke 18.

the spoke 13, the inner portion of which The combination Wit-ha Wheel rim, of an open ended sleeve having means at its opposite ends, whereby said sleeve is fixed radiallyin the rim, a spoke having its inner end connected to the hub of'l'he wheel, and having threads at its outer end, a second sleeve having its inner end interiorly threaded to connect to thetl'lreads of the spoke, the outer endportionof the second sleeve being enlarged and provided with exterior threads to thread into the first sleeve, whereby the sec- ,name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

FREDERICK H. BILLHARTZ. Witnesses EDW. BALL, WM. LINCK.

Copies of this iatent may be obtainedfor five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

. Washington, D. C. 

